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Operation Final Notice
Told in alternating points of view, this middle grade novel, following best friends Ronny and Jo, is about anxiety, being in over your head, and learning to accept help—even if you don’t know how to ask
Eight hundred seventy-eight dollars. That’s how much Ronny needs by January 4th to make to keep his family’s only car from getting repossessed. Since a workplace injury disabled his dad and forced the family to move from their home into the apartment complex across the street, Ronny’s been learning all sorts of things—like what letters marked with Final Notice means and that banks can take cars away for being behind on payments.
His best friend Josefina Ramos is also counting down until the start of January when her life could change forever—that’s when she has her big cello audition at the prestigious music academy Maple Hill. Except she can’t play a solo performance without something disastrous happening and no one seems to hear her when she talks about how nervous she is.
As the countdown to the new year rolls ahead, Ronny and Jo learn what can happen to best-laid plans and how to depend on one another and their community when things get tough.
Eight hundred seventy-eight dollars. That’s how much Ronny needs by January 4th to make to keep his family’s only car from getting repossessed. Since a workplace injury disabled his dad and forced the family to move from their home into the apartment complex across the street, Ronny’s been learning all sorts of things—like what letters marked with Final Notice means and that banks can take cars away for being behind on payments.
His best friend Josefina Ramos is also counting down until the start of January when her life could change forever—that’s when she has her big cello audition at the prestigious music academy Maple Hill. Except she can’t play a solo performance without something disastrous happening and no one seems to hear her when she talks about how nervous she is.
As the countdown to the new year rolls ahead, Ronny and Jo learn what can happen to best-laid plans and how to depend on one another and their community when things get tough.
288 pages, Hardcover
Published November 8, 2022
4 people are currently reading
246 people want to read
About the author
Matthew Landis
7 books92 followersMatthew Landis teaches middle school history outside Philadelphia, where he seeks to slay boredom wherever it lurks in his classroom. He is the author of five novels, including the forthcoming NATIONAL ARCHIVE HUNTERS series for 8–12-year-olds. He won Mississippi's 2020 Magnolia Book Award and the ILA 2019 Teacher’s Choices Reading List Award. A three-time Junior Library Guild recipient, Matthew's MG novel, IT'S THE END OF THE WORLD AS I KNOW IT, was shortlisted for the Virginia Reader’s Award, the Missouri Truman Reading Award, Oklahoma's Sequoyah Book Award, and the South Dakota Teen Choice Award. He has one epic wife, four kids, thirty-five chickens, three barn cats, and love tacos. He hasn't slept good since 2015.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
February 15, 2022
I heard this was good. Just a rumor.
October 31, 2022
This was a really great middle grade book featuring two best friends who are dealing with significant anxiety over different life problems. Jo has a lot of performance anxiety, trying to do well on her audition for a music school, while Ron's family is experiencing financial difficulties and he takes it upon himself to try to raise money to help his parents pay a past due bill on their car that he accidentally found.
Taking place over the holidays, this book is heartwarming while dealing with serious and important mental health topics. I really enjoyed the intergenerational friendship that develops between Ron and an older woman in a care home as he takes a job working there and she helps him learn that money doesn't equal happiness. Recommended for fans of Fight + flight or No fixed address. Great on audio too! Much thanks to @prhaudio for a complimentary audio copy in exchange for my honest review!
Taking place over the holidays, this book is heartwarming while dealing with serious and important mental health topics. I really enjoyed the intergenerational friendship that develops between Ron and an older woman in a care home as he takes a job working there and she helps him learn that money doesn't equal happiness. Recommended for fans of Fight + flight or No fixed address. Great on audio too! Much thanks to @prhaudio for a complimentary audio copy in exchange for my honest review!
November 26, 2022
Love Matt Landis’ books! Ronny and Jo are loveably imperfect characters who are doing their best in challenging situations. This story thrums with the love of music, friendship, humour, and grit, and I loved it!
August 2, 2024
I think a lot of us take for granted how complex children’s lives are. Listening to this audiobook, I felt really grateful for the privileges I had as a child and still have today. I also felt seen in Josefina’s struggle with performance anxiety. As a musician and also as a teacher this really hit.
August 5, 2025
Matthew Landis has knocked another one out of the park! This book was like cuddling up with a soft blanket; so much love between friends, parents and kids, and teachers with their students…
March 1, 2023
Love this audio! The perspectives between Jo and Ronnie were well-written and the audio narration was spot on. Highly recommend!
December 3, 2022
This is cute. I really enjoyed it...deals with tough topics for kids but is forward looking and shows that looking for solutions is empowering. Friends and family are important for getting through hard times.
November 6, 2022
Jo and Ronny each have their own dilemmas: Jo is trying to overcome stage fright for her upcoming cello audition while Ronny's entrepreneurial spirit is awakened when he decides to earn enough money to save the family car from being repossessed by the bank. Come along on their journey— just in time for the holiday season, where each of their predicaments is lessened when Jo and Ronny become an important part of their community's home for senior citizens. Throughout this story friendship, kindness, and generosity of the human spirit shine through.
Wonder World Book Cafe Podcast episode 34:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...
Thank you Penguin for an advanced copy!
Wonder World Book Cafe Podcast episode 34:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...
Thank you Penguin for an advanced copy!
May 22, 2023
I hated this book more than I wanted to. I was absolutely intrigued by the storyline and had it on my TBR for quite a while, but it didn't meet my expectations.
✨ The grammar. There were so many places where a comma or semicolon was need...and they weren't there. Some sentences were definitely run-on, and that made annoyed. It kind of just threw things off, and also made it a bit juvenile in some ways. And Ronny's use of "ha" in almost every sentence made me want to throw the book several times.
✨ The characters didn't seem all that developed. Like, they didn't have any traits that made each of them stand out or particularly interesting. The only character that seemed to have the most character was Noreen at the Senior Center.
✨ The pacing was good; however, I feel like the story was just too long. Everything that happened could have been condensed to either under 200 pages or perhaps 210, 215 pages. It felt like the story dragged on for a long while.
Honestly, the only thing I could say was good was the storyline itself. Naturally, it is a good idea, though, the execution wasn't.
✨ The grammar. There were so many places where a comma or semicolon was need...and they weren't there. Some sentences were definitely run-on, and that made annoyed. It kind of just threw things off, and also made it a bit juvenile in some ways. And Ronny's use of "ha" in almost every sentence made me want to throw the book several times.
✨ The characters didn't seem all that developed. Like, they didn't have any traits that made each of them stand out or particularly interesting. The only character that seemed to have the most character was Noreen at the Senior Center.
✨ The pacing was good; however, I feel like the story was just too long. Everything that happened could have been condensed to either under 200 pages or perhaps 210, 215 pages. It felt like the story dragged on for a long while.
Honestly, the only thing I could say was good was the storyline itself. Naturally, it is a good idea, though, the execution wasn't.
June 9, 2023
Operation Final Notice
Ronny and Jo both have both have big things happening in their lives. Ronny has an overdue bill and Jo has a big audition coming up. Can Ronny take care of his overdue bill and Jo perform well in her audition. The book has good flow and will interest the reader.
Ronny and Jo both have both have big things happening in their lives. Ronny has an overdue bill and Jo has a big audition coming up. Can Ronny take care of his overdue bill and Jo perform well in her audition. The book has good flow and will interest the reader.
November 13, 2022
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Ronny and Jo are neighbors and friends, and both are facing challenges. Ronny's father has hurt his back on the job, and his parents are struggling financially. They've moved into an apartment complex near their former house. Jo Ramos is an excellent cello player who has been given an audition at the Maple Hill School, but she doesn't want to tell Ronny she might be leaving their school, and is petrified of playing in public. They are both in seventh grade, and generally like school and their teachers, especially Ms. Q., who is helpful and understanding. When Ronny sees a bill marked "final notice" at home, he's not sure what this means, but eventually figures out that if his parents don't pay almost $600, their care might be taken away. When he sees a neighbor's car being towed, his fears are reinforced, and he even gives the tow truck driver a hard time. He starts to concoct a lot of money making schemes, some of which involve the Manor, a senior residence at which he and Jo are working. In addition to the $500 the two are being payed to help out and for Jo to play her cello, he tries to sell chocolate bars at a markup to the residents. (Bad idea... too many are diabetic!) He finds a wheeled cart and helps people carry itens home, shovels snow, and does whatever odd jobs he can to earn a little cash in order to help out his parents. Meanwhile, Jo is coming to terms with her performance anxiety and learning some coping strategies. She starts out performing over the loud speaker after a less than stellar performance, and manages to come to terms with playing in public. When the two are in a fender bender with Ronny's mom, they aren't hurt, but Jo's cello is damaged. Her parents can afford to pay for repairs, but not before the audition. Will Ronny's earning be necessary to help his friend out? What effect will that have on his family's future?
Strengths: It seems to me that there should be a LOT more books about tweens wanting to earn money. Even if family's are not in dire financial circumstances, there are always some incidental expenses like dance tickets, coveted items of clothing, or lost textbooks (my daughter walked a neighbor's dog to pay for a science one!) that tweens' parents might not want to fund. Ronny's attempts at gaining cash are perfect, especially since he runs into plenty of difficulty. This also makes for some gentle humor, and paints a very realistic picture of his life. The author has a note in the back of the book that the setting is very close to the one where his students live, and they are able to walk to all of the places mentioned. I'm a sucker for tweens and senior facilities, and seeing Ronny and Jo try to deal with the difficult and bitter Maureen is heartwarming. Jo's anxiety is also nicely portrayed, and her path to the audition is not a smooth one. The families make just enough of an appearance without overwhelming the angency of our characters, and there are some great teachers as well. The small arc with Ronny and the tow truck driver was thought provoking and would make for excellent class discussions. While I adored The Not-So-Private Letters of Private Nobody and enjoyed It's the End of the World as We Know It, I think Operation Final Notice shows that Landis also understand the type of books that actual middle grade readers want. Definitely an essential purchase for middle school libraries, and this will circulate nonstop.
Weaknesses: Ronny's speech is often underpunctuated: e.g. "Haha so sell candy," or "Yeah but it's so early". While I can sort of see the purpose in doing this, my students have such a poor grasp on punctuation as it is that I like to have them read good examples of it. The ending had a touching resolution that seemed a tiny bit unlikely, but it will make perfect sense to young readers.
What I really think: This would make a great core novel for class study, and would be fantastic to compare to O. Henry's short story, The Gift of the Magi (if classes still read that!). It's a great book for showing how readers' classmates might be struggling with issues that aren't easy to see on the surface. Sonnenblick's The Secret Sherrif of Sixth Grade, Baptist's Isaiah Dunn is My Hero, Torres' The Fresh New Face of Griselda, and Messner's The Exact Location of Home would be great books to recommend along with this one.
Ronny and Jo are neighbors and friends, and both are facing challenges. Ronny's father has hurt his back on the job, and his parents are struggling financially. They've moved into an apartment complex near their former house. Jo Ramos is an excellent cello player who has been given an audition at the Maple Hill School, but she doesn't want to tell Ronny she might be leaving their school, and is petrified of playing in public. They are both in seventh grade, and generally like school and their teachers, especially Ms. Q., who is helpful and understanding. When Ronny sees a bill marked "final notice" at home, he's not sure what this means, but eventually figures out that if his parents don't pay almost $600, their care might be taken away. When he sees a neighbor's car being towed, his fears are reinforced, and he even gives the tow truck driver a hard time. He starts to concoct a lot of money making schemes, some of which involve the Manor, a senior residence at which he and Jo are working. In addition to the $500 the two are being payed to help out and for Jo to play her cello, he tries to sell chocolate bars at a markup to the residents. (Bad idea... too many are diabetic!) He finds a wheeled cart and helps people carry itens home, shovels snow, and does whatever odd jobs he can to earn a little cash in order to help out his parents. Meanwhile, Jo is coming to terms with her performance anxiety and learning some coping strategies. She starts out performing over the loud speaker after a less than stellar performance, and manages to come to terms with playing in public. When the two are in a fender bender with Ronny's mom, they aren't hurt, but Jo's cello is damaged. Her parents can afford to pay for repairs, but not before the audition. Will Ronny's earning be necessary to help his friend out? What effect will that have on his family's future?
Strengths: It seems to me that there should be a LOT more books about tweens wanting to earn money. Even if family's are not in dire financial circumstances, there are always some incidental expenses like dance tickets, coveted items of clothing, or lost textbooks (my daughter walked a neighbor's dog to pay for a science one!) that tweens' parents might not want to fund. Ronny's attempts at gaining cash are perfect, especially since he runs into plenty of difficulty. This also makes for some gentle humor, and paints a very realistic picture of his life. The author has a note in the back of the book that the setting is very close to the one where his students live, and they are able to walk to all of the places mentioned. I'm a sucker for tweens and senior facilities, and seeing Ronny and Jo try to deal with the difficult and bitter Maureen is heartwarming. Jo's anxiety is also nicely portrayed, and her path to the audition is not a smooth one. The families make just enough of an appearance without overwhelming the angency of our characters, and there are some great teachers as well. The small arc with Ronny and the tow truck driver was thought provoking and would make for excellent class discussions. While I adored The Not-So-Private Letters of Private Nobody and enjoyed It's the End of the World as We Know It, I think Operation Final Notice shows that Landis also understand the type of books that actual middle grade readers want. Definitely an essential purchase for middle school libraries, and this will circulate nonstop.
Weaknesses: Ronny's speech is often underpunctuated: e.g. "Haha so sell candy," or "Yeah but it's so early". While I can sort of see the purpose in doing this, my students have such a poor grasp on punctuation as it is that I like to have them read good examples of it. The ending had a touching resolution that seemed a tiny bit unlikely, but it will make perfect sense to young readers.
What I really think: This would make a great core novel for class study, and would be fantastic to compare to O. Henry's short story, The Gift of the Magi (if classes still read that!). It's a great book for showing how readers' classmates might be struggling with issues that aren't easy to see on the surface. Sonnenblick's The Secret Sherrif of Sixth Grade, Baptist's Isaiah Dunn is My Hero, Torres' The Fresh New Face of Griselda, and Messner's The Exact Location of Home would be great books to recommend along with this one.
May 12, 2023
This mid-grade novel hits home with alternating points of view from a stellar cello player, Josefina Ramos ("Jo-Jo Ma" as called by her string teacher, Mr. Newsum, after the incomparable cellist, Yo-Yo Ma,) and Ronny Russo, her best pal who has ADHD, (Ms. Q is his Learning Support Teacher) a terrific sense of humor, and an even bigger heart. They both have dreaded secrets. At Thanksgiving, Ronny finds a FINAL NOTICE in his mother's file of bills that threatens to repossess her car if they can't pay $878. by January 1! She needs it to get to her hospital nursing job, and he can't think what to do. Meanwhile, Jo has crippling stage fright despite her genius on the cello, and is panicked by her upcoming scholarship audition for the prestigious Maple Hill Music Academy. Operation Final Notice is born. They try to help each other by making deliveries and working at The Manor, a senior living facility, although Ronny says he's "saving for an X-box," and Jo is terrified to play a recital for the residents. Throughout the book is a deep, underlying understanding of what it's like for a family to live so close to the poverty line while others are oblivious to their basic needs, and the gift of real friendship that helps both Jo and Ronny solve their problems and gain rich community connections in the process. No pat answers here, but there is an absolutely fabulous runaway ending that both satisfies and heartens the reader.
October 12, 2022
I received an electronic ARC from PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group through NetGalley.
Landis captures the anxiety and wide variety of emotions for both of his main characters. Readers meet Ronnie and Jo and hear their story told from their own voices. The chapters flip between the two POVs. Ronnie's family has experienced the devastation of losing their home and moving to a small apartment nearby. Jo suffers from severe performance anxiety and freezes when she tries to play cello solos. Both of them work to solve their problems and both support the other too. Jo listens to her teacher and works on relaxation techniques so she can audition for a special music school. Ronnie finds ways to make money to help his family keep their car. I appreciate the author bringing his characters to the senior living facility and sharing their gifts with the residents. Cross generational connections are formed and move the story forward.
Landis' writing style works well to keep the story moving and to offer a deep look at the characters.
Landis captures the anxiety and wide variety of emotions for both of his main characters. Readers meet Ronnie and Jo and hear their story told from their own voices. The chapters flip between the two POVs. Ronnie's family has experienced the devastation of losing their home and moving to a small apartment nearby. Jo suffers from severe performance anxiety and freezes when she tries to play cello solos. Both of them work to solve their problems and both support the other too. Jo listens to her teacher and works on relaxation techniques so she can audition for a special music school. Ronnie finds ways to make money to help his family keep their car. I appreciate the author bringing his characters to the senior living facility and sharing their gifts with the residents. Cross generational connections are formed and move the story forward.
Landis' writing style works well to keep the story moving and to offer a deep look at the characters.
May 15, 2023
4.5 stars rounded up.
This is an MG book about two friends with two big hurdles to overcome at the same time. While Ronny worries about his family's increasing financial issues, due to temporary disability, his best friend Jo is facing a potential major life change and learning to work through her fears.
What was really nice about this book is the conflicts were all external. No mean kids, no mean parents, no mean teachers.. really a lot of positive, supportive people, while maintaining the right level of tension and concern. There ARE some misunderstandings, but they are worked through, with the life lessons involved, etc.
Lots of positives about this book:
Platonic relationships between two different genders.
Friendships between young people and senior citizens.
Handling misunderstandings and assumptions.
Talking about money and the valid stress of a big financial change.
Latin representation.
I really have no complaints, it just didn't feel like a total grand slam to gush about, but I did really like it and the cozy, but engaging feel it gives.
This is an MG book about two friends with two big hurdles to overcome at the same time. While Ronny worries about his family's increasing financial issues, due to temporary disability, his best friend Jo is facing a potential major life change and learning to work through her fears.
What was really nice about this book is the conflicts were all external. No mean kids, no mean parents, no mean teachers.. really a lot of positive, supportive people, while maintaining the right level of tension and concern. There ARE some misunderstandings, but they are worked through, with the life lessons involved, etc.
Lots of positives about this book:
Platonic relationships between two different genders.
Friendships between young people and senior citizens.
Handling misunderstandings and assumptions.
Talking about money and the valid stress of a big financial change.
Latin representation.
I really have no complaints, it just didn't feel like a total grand slam to gush about, but I did really like it and the cozy, but engaging feel it gives.
May 10, 2024
I did not see this 5 star review coming, but I loved it! I think because I am not a musical person I didn't expect to relate to this book, but you don't need to be going through what they go through to love the story. I loved the characters! Both Ronny and Jo are such amazing kids, yet at the same time have very typical kid faults. I love that that is part of their package. Landis is a middle school teacher and knows middle schoolers and this is evident in reading his books! I listened to the audio book, which is so well done, and every time I had to stop I couldn't wait to get back to the story.
For full review go to 09:25 on this video I did https://youtu.be/tpIYJKyywPY?si=cQU8J...
For full review go to 09:25 on this video I did https://youtu.be/tpIYJKyywPY?si=cQU8J...
April 8, 2023
Dealing with nervousness and anxiety, both of the main characters who are friends are dealing with something that feels overwhelming. For one it's a cell audition that would get her into a prestigious school. For one it's helping his family from having their things repossessed.
Both are overwhelming but together they try to solve their problems while also coming-of-age. It works so well to discuss some larger issues but at the root, it's a friendship story too.
Both are overwhelming but together they try to solve their problems while also coming-of-age. It works so well to discuss some larger issues but at the root, it's a friendship story too.
August 15, 2025
Adorable and believable characters. Finally a book that highlights friendships that are amazing and kind-with no need for bullies or antagonists or silly drama. Kids can just be good people and Ronny & Jo show readers what being an awesome friend looks like. Adored this book and laughed out loud at Ronny’s rambling ideas and jokes.
December 12, 2025
I found this book incredibly boring. I read the first half in 40 minutes and the second half in maybe 30 minutes so maybe I was over skimm reading but who knows. Now, for people who like this genre it'd prob be wonderful but I just get bored by realistic fiction like this. Not wanting to bash the book or author but it just didn't interest me personally.
February 10, 2023
Jo and Ronny are neighbors, best friends, and both in a real jam. Though their specific struggles differ, they must work together to successfully squash their fears and meet their deadlines. [from Kirkus Reviews]
February 10, 2023
Endearing characters, engaging plot filled with humor and angst. Perfect for the middle school library with strong threads of the power of friendship, kindness, and generosity of the human spirit running through every chapter.
January 18, 2023
12 yo daughter read and enjoyed.
December 29, 2022
Best friends Jo and Ronny are both in a real quandary. Ronny needs $876.00 by January 4th to keep his family’s sole car from getting repossessed. Jo has a big cello audition at a prestigious music academy in early January. The problem is that Jo can’t play solo because she has stage fright. As the days get closer to January, Jo and Ronny learn how to depend on each other and their community when the going gets tough.
Reviewer 22
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